Langila

Papua New Guinea

5.525°S, 148.42°E; summit elev. 1330 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)

Although Crater 3 remained quiet and seismographs remained inoperative during July, moderate Vulcanian explosions continued at Crater 2. Throughout the month, Crater 2 produced gray ash clouds rising ~2 km above the summit. Fine ash fell on the N and NW parts of the volcano. On the night of 2 July observers saw incandescent lava projections; during 4-9 July there were weak explosions and roaring noises. Large explosions on 29 July produced dark gray ash clouds that rose ~5 km before drifting NW. Previously, on 22 March, aviators noted Langila ash clouds to 3-km altitude.

Geologic Background. Langila, one of the most active volcanoes of New Britain, consists of a group of four small overlapping composite basaltic-andesitic cones on the lower eastern flank of the extinct Talawe volcano. Talawe is the highest volcano in the Cape Gloucester area of NW New Britain. A rectangular, 2.5-km-long crater is breached widely to the SE; Langila volcano was constructed NE of the breached crater of Talawe. An extensive lava field reaches the coast on the north and NE sides of Langila. Frequent mild-to-moderate explosive eruptions, sometimes accompanied by lava flows, have been recorded since the 19th century from three active craters at the summit of Langila. The youngest and smallest crater (no. 3 crater) was formed in 1960 and has a diameter of 150 m.